Knicks 131, Wizards 113: “MVP!”
The Knicks needed a win, preferably one that didn’t require a 48-minute slog. The Wizards turned out to be the perfect opponent, as the Knicks cruised to an easy victory at home behind Julius Randle’s 37-point night.
Shortly before last night’s game, I was getting an eye exam. They didn’t tell me they’d dilate my eyes, and when they did, they said I’d be fine to drive home. I was not. I couldn’t see straight and my eyes were three-quarters closed; it looked like I’d smoked six blunts in a row. I got home and tried to unwind by playing some piano. But it was difficult to read notes, so I messed around with stuff I’ve memorized until my vision cleared up a little. Then I played this Bach piece, and for once I played it perfectly. No mistakes. It’s pretty when it’s done right:
After struggling to sight-read with no sight and to play from memory songs I don’t have fully memorized anymore, to breeze through a song error-free felt so... frictionless. Light. Frothy. I imagine that’s how the Knicks felt as they whupped the Washington Wizards, 131-113. After four of six games through the meat grinder that was Milwaukee, Brooklyn and Philadelphia twice — especially coming up just short in the last two 76er slugfests — a date with the defensively-illiterate Wiz was a harmonious night for New York. It was done right and downright pretty.
Elfrid Payton returned to the fold after missing five consecutive games and nine of 11 with a sore hamstring. He wasn’t back for long, though, after two early fouls that forced Tom Thibodeau to sub in backup point guard (checks notes) Alec Burks. That’s right: on the strength of Burks’ last few performances, he was entrusted with getting the team off on the right foot. Though, with these Knicks, the cause and effect of most good offense is Julius Randle. He was feeling it early, to the tune of 14 first-quarter points.
Washington was hot for a few minutes, but by the time Reggie Bullock hit back-to-back corner 3-pointers, New York led 28-22 and would the rest of the night.
The simpatico between Randle and RJ Barrett has been one of this season’s erogenous zones, and with Randle minding the scoring, Barrett was finding others. Those two are starting to go together like macaroni and cheese.
The Knicks hit five 3-pointers in the opening frame and were a single point short of a 40-piece. The second was no better for Washington, who were oddly disinterested in preventing Randle from pulling up behind the arc.
Or driving 45 feet uninterrupted.
Those were hardly the highlights of the half. The top three, in chronological order: Immanuel Quickley putting Raul Neto on skates, then drilling the step-back three.
RJ swatting the shit out of Russell Westbrook.
Mitchell Robinson: full extension.
69 points and a 20-point lead at the half are comfortable, but the third quarter was some couch-lock indica. The Knicks went up 23 after Randle’s fourth 3-pointer. Twenty-six after a Barrett full-court push. Twenty-seven after Randle’s fifth 3-pointer (on six attempts). Then he hit another. Then he hit another. The lead reached the 30s.
This was pure joy. This was real food. Slow food. Filling you up right. Even Frank Ntilikina got in on the highlights:
The lead never fell below 17 in the second half. After 101 minutes of Sheol grappling with the Sixers, a night with the Wizards was skinny dipping on a hot summer night.
Notes
Randle. What can one say? I wrote yesterday at P&T about Randle’s contention for the Most Improved Player award, All-NBA honors, and some MVP votes. Every game it’s something else. Thirty-seven points last night. Eighteen rebounds the last time these teams met. Seventeen assists last week against Orlando. How many players this year have hit those marks? I was only able to find one: Nikola Jokić, whose numbers this year are nearing Wayne Gretzky levels of absurdity.
With a 24-point lead and a little over seven minutes left, Thibs sent Randle back into the game. Randle did not look like a guy who was out there gunning for his 40th point. Thibodeau has earned an enormous amount of goodwill from Knicks fans for this year’s performance to date. If Randle gets hurt in a blowout, a ton of that is going to evaporate. When Randle returned he almost immediately fouled Moritz Wagner, his fourth foul. I was hoping he’d pick up two more fouls in the next minute, foul out and get some rest. Like a slowdown strike.
RJ: sweet as cherry pie
A sparkly 16 and 11 for Mitchell Robinson in just his second game back since fracturing his hand, and his first since hurting his ankle. The athleticism and the timing were there again, as was the usual goofy chaos magic Mitch.
When your team shoots 16-30 from downtown, everybody looks good. But Burks had another strong effort, including his third straight game with 20-plus points. When Derrick Rose returns, the Knicks’ bench will have some firepower there. I hereby christen them “RBQ.” You know: Rose, Burks, Quickley? Only it sounds like “barbecue,” as in cooking fools. Is that dumb? I don’t care. I like you, RBQ.
For a brief, sickening spell, a Knick was writhing under the basket clutching their knee. It was Bullock, who thankfully was able to jog it off and stay in the game.
Randle was defended in the post at times by Westbrook, Bradley Beal, and Troy Brown, guards and wings — much smaller, but quicker. I think it sometimes bothers Randle, who’s more used to dealing with brawny bruisers. The East’s upper class all have size to throw at Randle. I wonder, if Randle gave them trouble, if they’d look to go smaller against him?
Thibodeau was decidedly unsubtle when calling for a coach’s challenge after Sunday’s last-second controversy
Nice to hear Walt Frazier speak on Elgin Baylor, the all-time great who passed away Monday. Baylor’s single-game high of 71 points came against the Knicks. That total has only been bested seven times in NBA history, two of which came against the Knicks.
Quoth the MSG crowd: “M-V-P!” Last night the chants grew louder. In the great beating heart of this Knicks season, Randle and the fans are the atria and ventricles. Next game is tomorrow, again at home vs. the Wizards. Sounds good.
